TV
by whomii2
Summary: Team Machine relaxes to a little TV during their down time [set in early series]


Finch sputtered in outrage, so indignant he couldn't even speak. With a last poisonous look he left while muttering "..decline of civilization...we're in a **library...**"

Fusco just stood there confused, the TV he had acquired to alleviate downtime boredom clutched to his chest "What did I say?" he inquired plaintively.

John just shook his head and walked off to console Finch.

**XXXXXX**

Fusco's cursing must have finally gotten on Finch's nerves. He stalked into the room where Fusco had been trying to set up the new TV and a dusty DVD player he had found lying around. Finch pushed Lionel out of the way and dove into the mess of cables and wires. A short while later Finch shoved the remote into Fusco's hands and went back to whatever it was he had been doing since throwing his hissy fit.

Fusco was initially overwhelmed by the shear number of channels available, but gleefully figured he must have access to almost every station on the planet. Even the non-English channels would be entertaining, as some things were universal.

**XXXXXX**

Finch's retaliation to the sullying of his library with an "idiot box" came a few days later. Fusco was surprised when the sports event he was watching switched suddenly to the Playboy Channel just before Carter walked into the room. Fusco's brain was still trying to adjust to the presence of the previously blocked channel when Carter smacked him upside the head and began to rip him a new one for watching porn. Reese made the tactical mistake of wandering in to enjoy the show when he was promptly dragged into the "men" and "sex on the brain" tirade. (Fusco thought it served the smug bastard right.)

When Fusco complained about his treatment, Finch merely fixed him with the impassive stare that unnerved Lionel so much. Returning to the Entertainment Room (no one would call it the TV room in front of Finch) he found the TV would now only play _The View_. Sinking dismally into his chair, he vowed next time to keep his mouth shut.

His new resolve was put to the test when he found Finch watching a cooking show while scribbling down copious notes in a spiral bound book. He said nothing. He also wondered if Finch needed a taste tester?

**XXXXX**

Fusco was somewhat surprised when he wandered into their Entertainment Room to find Finch and Reese watching a yoga fitness show. He had heard Reese mention a yoga class but there was no way Finch would be flexible enough to do even the simplest poses. As the intro finished and the hostess began to move through her routine Fusco began to see the appeal and sat on the couch next to Reese. It was safe enough, Carter was at some thing with her son and wouldn't show up for hours.

**XXXXX**

Fusco had a morbid fascination with Shark Week but was surprised when Reese went pale when he flipped on the show. Reese muttered that it brought up bad memories of a mission. "Ah yes" Finch piped up. "I previously thought that advice about punching a shark in the nose was an old wives' tale". Reese growled and after shooting an angry glance at Finch stalked out of the room. Fusco quietly added that little tidbit to his list of Reasons Reese Was A BAMF (which also served as his Reasons Not To Piss Off Reese list )

**XXXXX**

Carter had taken advantage of the library's facilities to tidy up a bit so she wouldn't alarm her family. When she figured her appearance was as fixed as it was going to get, she wandered off to see what the boys were up to. She found them all in the Entertainment Room watching _Top Gear_. Muttering fondly about "men and their machines" (which was slightly less insulting than "boys and their toys" as it at least implied they were men) she wished them good night and headed home. Once Finch indicated she had left the building they quickly switched the channel back to _Clone Wars_. No one wanted to put up with her cooing over them if she caught them watching a cartoon. Besides, that episode of _Top Gear_ was a repeat.

**XXXXX**

Fusco had always figured Reese had balls of steel, but never more so than when he had the audacity to prank Finch. Reese had invited Finch to watch _Spartacus_ with them. Apparently, Reese had failed to mention that the show was on Starz and not PBS or the History Channel. Finch seemed unprepared for the graphic violence, strong sexual content, and coarse language of the cable series. He shot John a nasty look, not buying his "innocent" routine for a minute, before he got up and stomped off (or rather limped away emphatically)

A few days later, Fusco was following Carter when she walked into the Entertainment Room and burst into hysterical laughter. Lionel broke into loud guffaws himself when he entered the room and found Reese watching _Say Yes to the Dress_. Gasping for breath, Carter asked "is there something you wanted to tell us?" Judging by the deer-in-the-headlights look on John's face (or maybe the lobster-in-the-pot look considering how he was blushing) Fusco figured Finch had had his revenge. (and doubtless he had it on tape as well)

**XXXXX**

For a time, they had worried that they would let down their number. That is, until they realized that the number was really the problem (they really needed to work on that bias, they so wanted to protect the innocent that at times they let it blind them). Finch was ensconced in the comfy chair with a glass of wine, while Fusco and Reese were sharing the couch and splitting a six pack. They settled back to let _Monty Python_ cast a ray of sunshine into their dark world.

**XXXXX**

They all froze when Carter entered the room unexpectedly and caught them during their _Dr. Who_ marathon. Finch was probably safe, but Reese and Lionel's "macho" reputations might take a hit for watching such a geeky show. They breathed a sigh of relief when Carter exclaimed "I love this show! I watch it all the time with Taylor". After a kick from Reese, Fusco got up from the couch to make room for Carter, shifting himself to the less-comfy chair. They all then lost themselves in the magic.

**XXXXX**

It had been a really crappy day. After a long shift filled with the petty evil of small-minded people (thank god there had been no numbers) Lionel dragged himself into the Entertainment Room as he had nowhere better to go. How had this become his life? He was surprised to find a DVD with "Fusco" written on it in Sharpie. Popping it into the DVD player, he was even more surprised when a view of his son's hockey game started playing on the TV. As he settled down on the couch while the first smile of the day bloomed on his face, he thought maybe people weren't so bad after all.

**XXXXX**

Fusco stopped dead on in his tracks. Reese and Finch were huddled together on the couch in front of the TV; Reese's eyes were shiny with unshed tears while Finch was quietly sobbing into a handkerchief. Fusco fled in horror - he had been devastated when he first watched "Old Yeller" as a kid and had no desire to relive the heartache.

**XXXXX**

Reese was surprised and outraged when Carter hit him in the face with the pillow for his comment on the TV show. He glared at his supposed comrades - Fusco who was gasping after snorting soda up his nose, Carter smiling wider than the Cheshire cat, and Finch out-and-out giggling. John's ire began to fade to be replaced by something else. It had been a while since he had this. Had people like this.


End file.
